This invention relates to a conveyor belt and more particularly to the spliced polyurethane belt sections having reinforced cords therein and to the method of splicing such belt sections.
The problem of splicing conveyor belts is common throughout industry. Endless belts are usually formed into a single length of belting cut to the desired length and thence have the respective ends spliced to one another to form an endless belt. For small belts it is possible to make or cast a single one piece integral continuous belt, however, splicing even there is necessary to repair these belts.
The spliced section of a belt is generally the weakest part of a belt. Many procedures and structures have been tried and used to splice belt sections but are quite complicated and involve complex manipulative steps. One common method used requires that the rubber and fabric at the ends of such belt sections be cut away completely to expose the cords and then mate the terminal ends of the cords followed by placing material on the ends to be spliced and then vulcanize or cure the material around the reinforcing cord. Such procedure is time consuming and does not provide for a strong splice. Another method is to overlap belt sections and mechanically interconnect such sections. Another method removed portions of the belt adjoining the ends to expose the cables or strands, placing the exposed strands in grooves of two newly formed plates of semi-cured material and then cure the splice with the strands on parallel side by side relationship. Here again the splice has inherent weakness in strength since the material of the spliced section is of different properties since the juncture is of different consistence, age and treatment.
In the present invention, grooves are cut into the belt end sections that are laterally spaced from the reinforcing cords or strands but parallel thereto. Thereafter cords such as KEVLAR.RTM. are placed in such grooves and are cemented therein and thence cured. In this manner, there is less disturbance of the original material yet providing a spliced section that is stronger than other sections of the same conveyor belt.